Directed by Ash Avildsen. Starring Emily Bett Rickards, Marie Avgeropoulos, Walton Goggins, Josh Lucas, Gavin Casalegno, Kelli Berglund, Tyler Posey, Martin Kove, Damaris Lewis, Ash Avildsen, Jim Cornette, Trinity Fatu, Toni Rossall, Cara Buono, Deborah Ann Woll, Adam Demos, Francesca Eastwood, Brittany Baker, Kailey Dawn Latimer, Chaney Morrow, Barron Boedecker, Byron Johnson II, Cameren Jackson, Mickie James, and Marie Evans James.
SYNOPSIS:
In a time when pro wrestling for women was illegal all over the United States, a small town single mother embraces the danger as she dominates America’s most masculine sport and becomes the first million dollar female athlete in history.
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Chronicling the trailblazing efforts of woman’s professional wrestler Mildred Burke (a driven, unflinching, muscular Emily Bett Rickards) from the 1930s and beyond, who would go on to be the first multimillion-dollar woman’s athlete, co-writer/director Ash Avildsen’s Queen of the Ring is yet another rousing story from the untapped well of that often overlooked and unfairly side-eyed world. Writing alongside Alston Ramsay and based on a book by Jeff Leen, this particular film also has an additional beneficial layer in that, while it is a biopic primarily focused on a landscape-changing athlete, it’s also a compelling look at the evolution of women’s wrestling which started as illegal across America, meaning that, much like how wrestling itself is inspired by carnival show antics, single mother Mildred Burke caught her first break taking down overconfident men inside a wrestling ring as part of a carnival show.
More intriguing is that this also means that while a good portion of men’s professional wrestling is staged to a degree, Mildred wasn’t afforded that same opportunity. She had to prove herself in these “shoot matches” (a blurring of the lines between reality and script inside the ring) against mostly sexist men who didn’t think she belonged and thought they would easily be able to bring her down to the mat and pin or submit her. Even her promoter/over-the-hill wrestler fiancé Billy Wolfe (Josh Lucas) essentially once laughed in her face at the diner she was serving in upon expressing her enthusiasm to train under him.
The air of misogyny over the industry isn’t necessarily surprising given the era, but it is infuriating, nonetheless. A complicated relationship also develops where Billy genuinely respects Mildred’s hardheaded, never-take-failure-as-an-option demeanor, interested in building a new breed of star out of her for both of them to reap rewards. There are also times his resentment over emotionally hurting her feels grounded in some truth, although it doesn’t stop him from being terrible to her. He still is unable to escape his misogynistic and chauvinistic tendencies, breaking her heart early and often, promising a championship (eventually, they do get a woman’s league of sorts running), and more to younger, more naive athletes willing to aleep with him and follow in Mildred’s footsteps.
However, Ash Avildsen and the company are smart enough not to reduce Mildred Burke to a woman tormented by a broken relationship. She is defiant every step of the way and unafraid to enter a legal marriage as a means to ensure he can’t screw her and her son over financially. At one point, she also has a championship belt, which becomes another chess piece in this tumultuous relationship-turned-business arrangement. Yes, Billy could book her to lose that belt, and perhaps other women deserve to hold it, but Mildred knows she must transition into shoot mode if anything unplanned or fishy begins happening in the ring. These two become bitter enemies inside and outside the industry, including depicted scenes of domestic violence that, to some, might feel unnecessary to show explicitly, but within this narrative and context depict the difference between in-ring athleticism and terror, causing Mildred to grapple with what message it sends to the audience and what it does to her character if she escapes Billy and expresses public vulnerability.
There is also a genuine love for professional wrestling beyond Mildred Burke, who paved the way for fellow notable women wrestlers such as Mae Young (Francesca Eastwood), who is unsurprisingly tough as nails and here leaning into her bisexuality. Industry veterans such as Jim Cornette pop up for a brief scene or two, with a cameo from Ash Avildsen himself as Vince McMahon Sr. Walton Goggins also has a small but critical role as tycoon Jack Pfefer, a force of support to Mildred Burke and women’s wrestling itself, while also credited as popularizing various storytelling techniques across wrestling, presenting it more as live theater. Also fascinating is that Mildred Burke contributed to the Gorgeous George gimmick, played here by Adam Demos.
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As such, Queen of the Ring is loaded with authentic smashmouth wrestling (having modern-day wrestlers aboard such as Toni Storm, Trinity Fatu, Britt Baker, and more helps), gradually showcasing Mildred Burke’s escalating superstardom in tandem with a newfound respect and embracement of women’s wrestling. Sometimes, the passage of time can be a bit jarring (at least two times, I was shocked that Mildred’s son had aged dramatically, with everyone surrounding her primarily working the same.) Still, the film also thankfully isn’t getting overly ambitious trying to cover her entire life, which is where numerous biopics crash and burn. There is still a formulaic feel here with expected plotting, but the performances, period specificity, and love for the industry elevate the proceedings.
Queen of the Ring might be a lot of wrestling and movie for those not interested in this industry (running nearly 140 minutes), but it’s also inspiring and has a lot to marvel at. Above all else, it’s empowering and exciting to see how far women’s wrestling has come while getting a greater understanding of its pioneers.
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association, Critics Choice Association, and Online Film Critics Society. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews and follow my BlueSky or Letterboxd
Every horror fan deserves the occasional (decent) fix, andin the midst of one of the bleakest movie months of the year, Primatedelivers. There’s nothing terribly original about Johannes Roberts’ rabidchimpanzee tale, but that’s kind of the …
by Sean P. Aune | January 10, 2026January 10, 2026 10:30 am EST
Welcome to an exciting year-long project here at The Nerdy. 1986 was an exciting year for films giving us a lot of films that would go on to be beloved favorites and cult classics. It was also the start to a major shift in cultural and societal norms, and some of those still reverberate to this day.
We’re going to pick and choose which movies we hit, but right now the list stands at nearly four dozen.
Yes, we’re insane, but 1986 was that great of a year for film.
The articles will come out – in most cases – on the same day the films hit theaters in 1986 so that it is their true 40th anniversary. All films are also watched again for the purposes of these reviews and are not being done from memory. In some cases, it truly will be the first time we’ve seen them.
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This time around, it’s Jan. 10, 1986, and we’re off to see Black Moon Rising.
Black Moon Rising
What was the obsession in the 1980s with super vehicles?
Sam Quint (Tommy Lee Jones) is hired to steal a computer tape with evidence against a company on it. While being pursued, he tucks it in the parachute of a prototype vehicle called the Black Moon. While trying to retrieve it, the car is stolen by Nina (Linda Hamilton), a car thief working for a car theft ring. Both of them want out of their lives, and it looks like the Black Moon could be their ticket out.
Blue Thunder in the movies, Airwolf and Knight Rider on TV, the 1980s loved an impractical ‘super’ vehicle. In this case, the car plays a very minor role up until the final action set piece, and the story is far more about the characters and their motivations.
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The movie is silly as you would expect it to be, but it is never a bad watch. It’s just not anything particularly memorable.
1986 Movie Reviews will continue on Jan. 17, 2026, with The Adventures of the American Rabbit, The Adventures of Mark Twain, The Clan of the Cave Bear, Iron Eagle, The Longshot, and Troll.
A still from ‘Song Sung Blue’.
| Photo Credit: Focus Features/YouTube
There is something unputdownable about Mike Sardina (Hugh Jackman) from the first moment one sees him at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting celebrating his 20th sober birthday. He encourages the group to sing the famous Neil Diamond number, ‘Song Sung Blue,’ with him, and we are carried along on a wave of his enthusiasm.
Song Sung Blue (English)
Director: Craig Brewer
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Kate Hudson, Michael Imperioli, Ella Anderson, Mustafa Shakir, Fisher Stevens, Jim Belushi
Runtime: 132 minutes
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Storyline: Mike and Claire find and rescue each other from the slings and arrows of mediocrity when they form a Neil Diamond tribute band
We learn that Mike is a music impersonator who refuses to come on stage as anyone but himself, Lightning, at the Wisconsin State Fair. At the fair, he meets Claire (Kate Hudson), who is performing as Patsy Cline. Sparks fly between the two, and Claire suggests Mike perform a Neil Diamond tribute.
Claire and Mike start a relationship and a Neil Diamond tribute band, called Lightning and Thunder. They marry and after some initial hesitation, Claire’s children from her first marriage, Rachel (Ella Anderson) and Dayna (Hudson Hensley), and Mike’s daughter from an earlier marriage, Angelina (King Princess), become friends.
Members from Mike’s old band join the group, including Mark Shurilla (Michael Imperioli), a Buddy Holly impersonator and Sex Machine (Mustafa Shakir), who sings as James Brown. His dentist/manager, Dave Watson (Fisher Stevens), believes in him, even fixing his tooth with a little lightning bolt!
The tribute band meets with success, including opening for Pearl Jam, with the front man for the grunge band, Eddie Vedder (John Beckwith), joining Lightning and Thunder for a rendition of ‘Forever in Blue Jeans’ at the 1995 Pearl Jam concert in Milwaukee.
There is heartbreak, anger, addiction, and the rise again before the final tragedy. Song Sung Blue, based on Greg Kohs’ eponymous documentary, is a gentle look into a musician’s life. When Mike says, “I’m not a songwriter. I’m not a sex symbol. But I am an entertainer,” he shows that dreams do not have to die. Mike and Claire reveal that even if you do not conquer the world like a rock god, you can achieve success doing what makes you happy.
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ALSO READ: ‘Run Away’ series review: Perfect pulp to kick off the New Year
Song Sung Blue is a validation for all the regular folk with modest dreams, but dreams nevertheless. As the poet said, “there’s no success like failure, and failure’s no success at all.” Hudson and Jackman power through the songs and tears like champs, leaving us laughing, tapping our feet, and wiping away the errant tears all at once.
The period detail is spot on (never mind the distracting wigs). The chance to hear a generous catalogue of Diamond’s music in arena-quality sound is not to be missed, in a movie that offers a satisfying catharsis. Music is most definitely the food of love, so may we all please have a second and third helping?
